LEARN ON THE RIGHT BOARD
The best way to learn to surf and improve is by standing up on your board and actually riding, a.k.a. “water time”. However, if you are having a tough time balancing on a shortboard (and you will) you’ll be spending less time on your feet, once again, extending your learning experience, which is when your risk of injury is the greatest.

A longer board will float you much better than anything under 7 feet long, making it easier to build up your “surfer muscles” by helping you glide through the water; it will also stabilize you so that when you jump to your feet you’ll actually land on them and stay there, and they’re also faster to paddle, helping you get out of the way of BIG outside sets that’ll come rolling through.

While it’s "cooler" to ride a shortboard from an aesthetic point of view as they often come in more attractive designs & colors, a shortboard will make your learning experience far more challenging. Learning to surf is challenging enough; don’t try to be a touch chic and make it that much harder on yourself. You’ll end up missing waves, falling off your board and generally making a spectacle of yourself without really needing to.

DON’T GO TOO BIG
On the other hand, a longboard shouldn’t be too long either. A board that’s too big for you will make carrying it a burden, it’ll be hard to maneuver/control in the water, and they often weigh more, so getting hit by it (and again, you will) is going to hurt a lot more.

If you’re 5’-6’ tall, WSSM recommends starting out on a 7’ 6” – 8’ 6”. This size is manageable in the surf, will turn easier and help you progress to the next level much quicker, ensuring you more waves… and that’s what you
really want!

NOTE: Always check the width of the board before buying it, making sure you can wrap your fingers around the
bottom edge comfortably when carrying. This not only will help you carry your board easier, it’ll also be easier on your shoulder joints when you paddle because your arms can dip almost right along your sides, giving you a stronger push.